Fish-trap.



Patented June 22, 1909.

BEETS SHEET 1.

Patented June 22, 1909.

anwmtoz I nuc .wAaum on D c J. Hi WILSON.

' FISH TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1908.

m a 2 av! 5 W 2 9 I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. WILSON, OF OARMI, ILLINOIS.

FISH-TRAP To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. HLsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carmi, in the county of )Vhite and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Fish-Traps, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawmg.

My invention relates to fish traps and the object thereof is to providea device of this character which is simple and effective in operationand which will be positively actuated to catch a fish when the trap isset and the fish attempts to take the bait.

To the accomplishment of the recited obj ect and others coordinatetherewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides in thatconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of theappended claims.

In said drawings :-Figure I is a perspective view of the deviceembodying my invention, and Fig. II is a side elevation thereof partlyshown in section. Fig. III is a transverse sectional view of the uppercollar portion of one of the jaws, and Fig. IV is a fragmentaryelevation of one terminal of the device.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

My intention contemplates the employment of a pair of oppositelydisposed coacting jaws comprising a central collar portion (1) and aplurality of integrally formed laterally extending, right angnlarlyshaped arms (2), the vertical portion of said arms tapering orpresenting a gradual diminution of thickness toward their distal ends,at which point they are provided with hooked portions (4). The collarportion of the arms carries a screw or lug (5) which is adapted toengage the longitudinally extending slot of the shaft (7), the jaw, asan entirety, having the arms thereof so arranged that they will beinterposed between the corresponding oppositely disposed jaw.Furthermore, the outer portion of each collar, is provided contiguousthe shaft (7) with an annular recess (8), in which is adapted to beseated one terminal of the coil spring (9), the other terminal of thespring having a like bearing in the recess (10) on the underneathside ofthe sleeves (11), which are se- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed -August 29, 1908.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Serial No. 450,848.

cured to the extrcmital portion of the shaft in any suitable manner,such for example as the pin Arranged medially and extendinglongitudinally of the shaft (7) to points equidistant from the endsthereof is a slot (123) proximate the terminals of which are pivotallymounted, as at. ll, trippers (15) provided with shoulders (1(5)cent-rally thereof and a pointed or tapering extremity (17), therespective portions being designed to engage the underneath of thecollar and of thediagonally disposed projections (18) of the trigger(15)) which is pivotally mounted within and medially of the slot (13),at (20). Projecting through one of the sleeves (11), preferably thetopmost. is a shank portion (21) of the laterally extending bracket orsupport (22) the outer terminal of which is bifurcated so as to receivethe pulley over which the cord (2+) passes with one of its lower endsattached to the trigger (19), as at 25, the other end having secured andsuspended therefrom an ordinary type of fish hook To set the trap, thejaws are moved away from each other along the shaft against the actionof the coil spring until they reach a point where the collar portionsthereof can be readily engaged by the shoulder portion (1(3) of thetrippers (15), this relatively locked position of the jaws and trippersbeing maintained by the engagement of the lugs (18) with the innerdistal ends of the portion (17) of said trippers. Assuming that the hook(26) has been baited. a suitable connection is secured at the upper endof the shaft (7), at 27, such for example as a cord or fish line, andthe complete device lowered into the water, whereupon the user maysecure the other end of the string or cord to any convenient placeleaving the trap to perform its function. As the fish proceeds to nibblethe bait, which is fastened to hook (26), the cord is subjected to aslight pull and thus the other end of the cord which is connected to thetrigger (19) raises or oscillates the latter and disengages the lugs(18) and the distal ends of the trippers (15), which gravitate inwardlyand allow the aws to simultaneously and llllllltell'llpledly be forcedtoward each other because of the stress of the springs (9), the hookterminals (4) of said jaws impinging against the head or body portion ofthe fish in such a manner as to preclude any possibility of (SCH pement.

It should be understood that in its broader aspect my inventioncon'iprehends the employment not only of the various means described,but of equivalent means for performing the recited functions. Forexample, my trap while being described as a fish trap essentially, isequally as well adapted to other small animals.

While the arrangement shown is thought, at the present time, to bepreferable, it is desired to reserve the right to effect suchmodifications and variations thereof as may come fairly within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed, is

1. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having a single slotand a pair of slots, of spring pressed opposed impaling jaws adapted tobe guided by the latter slots, and means pivotally mounted in the firstmentioned slot for releasing the jaws.

2. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having a single slotand a pair of slots right angularly disposed to the former slot, ofopposed spring pressed impaling jaws having radiating intermeshingbarbed terminals and adapted to be guided by the latter slots, and meanspivotally mounted in the first mentioned slot for releasing the jaws.

3. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having a single slotand a pair of slots, of opposed spring pressed impaling jaws havingradiating intermeshing barbed terminals and adapted to be guided by thelatter slots, and a trigger and tripper mechanism mounted within theother slot for simultaneously releasing the jaws.

4. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having a single slotand a pair of slots therein, of opposed spring pressed impaling jawsadapted to be guided by the latter slots, a trigger arranged medially ofthe other slot, trippers positioned adjacent the terminals of the latterslots designed to engage said trigger and said jaws, and a bait holdingdevice connected to the trigger.

5. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having a single slotand a pair of slots, of opposed spring pressed impaling jaws adapted tobe guided by the latter slots, a trigger pivoted medially of the otherslot and having diagonally disposed projections, trippers pivotallymounted adjacent the terminals of the first mentioned slot and havingshoulders for engagement with the respective jaws and terminally reducedportions for en gagement with the projections on said trigger, and abait holding device connected to the trigger.

6. In an animal trap, the combination with a shaft having sleevesterminally disposed thereon, a pair of reciprocally movable impalingjaws carried by said shaft, said jaws and said sleeves having oppositelyarranged annular recesses, and springs adapted to encircle the shaftintermediate the jaws and the sleeves, the said recesses serving asseats for said springs.

T. In trap, the combination with a shaft, bodily-movable spring-pressedjaws carried by said shaft, of a pivotally-mounted trigger interposedbetween said jaws, means engaging the trigger at opposite sides of itspivoted point and adapted to secure the jaws in a set position, meanscooperating with said trigger whereby the same may be sprung forreleasing the aws.

8. In a trap, the combination with a shaft, of bodily-movable slidablejaws mounted upon and surrounding said shaft, a trigger supportedentirely by and movably mounted upon said shaft between said jaws,trippers movably mounted upon said shaft at opposite sides of thetrigger adapted to engage the jaws and also engage the trigger atopposite sides thereof, for retaining the aws in a set position, meanscooperating with the trigger for springing the same after it has beenset and thereby releasing the jaws, and means for forcing the awstogether.

9. In a trap, the combination with a shaft, of bodily-movablespring-pressed jaws slidably mounted upon and surrounding said shaft,trippers pivoted to the shaft engaging the jaws and holding the same ina set position, a trigger mechanism interposed between the jaws andadapted to engage and secure the trippers in a set position.

10. In a trap, the combination with a supporting member, ofslidably-movable jaws carried by said supporting member,laterallymovable trippers carried by said supporting members and adaptedto engage and hold the jaws in a set position, and a trigger mechanisminterposed between the aws and being capable of holding the trippers ina laterally-extended position upon the supporting member for securingthe jaws in their set position.

11. In a trap of the class described, the combination with a supportingmember, of bodily-movable sliding jaws carried by saidsupporting-member, a trigger mechanism interposed between said jaws andmounted upon said supporting member, tripper-means carried by saidsupporting-member and engaging said jaws and trigger mechanism wherebywhen the trigger mechanism is set the jaws will be retained in a setposition and when the trigger is sprung said tripper means will moveinwardly upon the supporting-member and allow the jaws to closetogether, and means for forcing the jaws together.

12. In an animal trap, the combination with a supporting-member, ofbodily-movable jaws carried by said supporting-member, means for closingsaid jaws together, a

trigger interposed between said jaws and pivotally mounted upon thesupportingmember, said trigger provided with tripperholding means,trippers pivotally mounted upon the supporting member at opposite sidesof the trigger and being capable of retaining the jaws in a setposition, said trippers engaging the tripper-holding means of thetrigger when in a set position, and means for springin said trigger andallowing the trigger and the trippers to close upon the supportingmember and the jaws to close together over the trippers and the trigger.

13. In an animal trap, the combination with a supporting-member, ofslidable jaws carried by said supporting-member, trippers interposedbetween said jaws and carried by the supporting member and being adaptedto hold the jaws in a set position, a trigger mechanism carried by thesupporting-member and interposed between the jaws and being adapted tohold the trippers in a set position, means for springing said triggerand means for forcing said jaws together over the trippers and thetrigger.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN H. VILSON.

\Vitnesses H. H. CLARK, ALBERT HUBER.

